Over the weekend, a former NHL player died after taking a skate to the neck in a freak, on-ice accident. Adam Johnson, 29, who played for the Pittsburgh Penguins in 2018-1019, was currently on the Nottingham Panthers in England’s Elite Ice Hockey League (EIHL).
On Saturday, in a game against the Sheffield Steelers, Johnson took a skate to the neck from Matt Petgrave, who got tangled with another player as he crossed the blue.
What you wouldn’t think would amount to much of any outrage by American political trolls—hockey is a relatively niche sport even in the U.S., and the league in England is levels below other professional leagues across the world—suddenly became fodder for a race war.
That’s because Petgrave is Black, and Johnson is white.
And when video of the incident began circulating on X, which shows Petgrave’s leg flying up, rather than Johnson’s falling down (which is how some might presume something like this could happen), suddenly Petgave was being accused of committing a hate crime.
“An execution of a White Man was broadcast in front of millions. A wild ⚫️ hockey player deliberately lifts his leg and draws a razor-sharp blade across Adam Johnson’s throat — Adam Johnson would later succumb to his wounds at the hospital. An execution of a White Man was broadcast in front of millions of viewers, prepare accordingly,” wrote one troll.
While those pushing the video were helping raise its view count, the league is small enough to put out press releases whenever one of its games is broadcast on TV.
But that fact didn’t deter internet trolls from using this death to demand justice for white people.
“Matt Petgrave murdered Adam Johnson. We have become so detached with reality that you can watch a black man murder someone during an ice hockey game, and nothing happens. MAKE NO MISTAKES If the races were reversed, cities would be burning to the ground right now,” wrote Reed Spahr.
“Matt Petgrave (black hockey player) Straight up murdered a guy (Adam Johnson) on the ice and there is no outrage because Matt is black. Wtf. Ban and jail immediately!” added one user.
“This was kung-fu kick by the guy in red. This was murder. First degree,” wrote a popular QAnon conspiracy account.
“Anti-White terrorism on national TV,” wrote prominent conspiracy theorist Lauren Witzke, blaming the media as well. “The Media of course is running cover for Matt Petgrave, saying it was a ‘sstray boot’ that sliced Adam Johnson’s throat.
According to fans of Johnson’s team who spoke to the Daily Mail, Petgrave was absolutely distraught after the incident, and they saw him “‘break with shock and trauma’ after seeing what had happened.”
Police are currently investigating, and it’s not impossible Petgrave could be charged. Three NHL players over the league’s history have been arrested for their action on ice, although those were all deemed behavior that had intent to harm or injury.
Though anything is possible, it seems doubtful that police will unearth evidence Petgrave was secretly trying to commit a hate crime during a very public sporting event.
